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Amadou Bakayoko has already proved his doubters wrong by equalling his best-ever goalscoring season.
That’s the view of Ian Evatt, who saw his summer signing add a 10th goal of the season in last night’s 3-1 victory against Lincoln City.
Bakayoko had only once got into double figures before arriving at Bolton from Coventry City, that as a Walsall player in League One during 2016/17.
But Evatt was confident that the 26-year-old striker would offer more than just a physical presence when he picked him up on a free transfer last July.
“It’s funny, isn’t it, because last season people were telling us that Dapo Afolayan couldn’t score too,” he said. “We signed Baka this season and everyone was saying ‘look at his goal record’ - but they haven’t played for us before, and we create chances.
“We create opportunities and they are getting themselves in the right areas, which is important for us, and I am delighted for him to get in double figures, especially with the amount of time he has missed.
“Baka missed a lot of football this season so that is a great effort from him and what I am even more pleased about is that we are sharing the goals around a little bit more now; that is important.”
Evatt felt his side showed some backbone by pushing on for victory late in the game against Lincoln, having seen their lead pegged back by a deflected 65th minute Cohen Bramall strike.
“It would have been easy for them to back out of it at 1-1 and feel sorry for themselves because it was a really poor goal to concede,” he said. “I think we missed a couple of tackles and the ball seems to be going straight to Traff (James Trafford) and it hit Will Aimson and then went in.
“But to pick themselves up again and respond the way they did is huge for them and shows great character and personality.
“It also shows what a difference the bench can make in these tight games. Another set play which is important, but I thought the way Kyle Dempsey, Amadou Baka and Kieran Sadlier came on to affect the game was great.”
Wanderers go to third-placed MK Dons this weekend knowing a win could bring them to within two points of the play-off spots, depending on results elsewhere.
They will go in as underdogs and will also be nursing a few knocks sustained in the win against Lincoln but Evatt feels his side have put themselves into a promising position.
“All I can say is that we’re going to rest and recover and go there and give it our best shot,” he said. “We have put ourselves in a position now where it isn’t make or break on Saturday because of the two home wins.
“If we hadn’t won those two home games, we would have had to go to MK and won. But we are certainly going to try, we don’t go anywhere to draw. We’ll give it our best shot and hopefully that’s enough.”
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